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An Ounce of Prevention

When weighing your prevention needs, be sure to include screening for deadly diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Additional screening tests can deter glaucoma and other disabling disorders. Preventive care also includes keeping necessary immunizations up to date.

The general screening guidelines in the chart below come from the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the US Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, the US Preventive Services Task Force and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Many of these screening guidelines apply to healthy adults only. People at high risk for certain diseases may need earlier or more frequent screenings. For information on Southcoast doctors who can help you with preventive care, log on to www.southcoast.org/doctors.

Type of Screening Who Needs the Screening? When, How Often or How Many Doses?
CERVICAL CANCER
Pap smear Women, beginning at age 18 orupon becoming sexually active  Every 1 to 3 years
BREAST CANCER
Breast self-exam Women age 20 and older  Every month
Breast clinical exam Women ages 20 to 39 Women age 40 and older  Every 3 years Every year
Mammogram Women age 40 and older  Every year
PROSTATE CANCER
Digital rectal exam  Men age 50 and older Every year, after discussion with doctor
Prostate-specific antigen test  Men age 50 and older Every year, after discussion with doctor
COLORECTAL CANCER
Fecal occult blood test  Adults older than age 50  Every year
One of these three combinations:    
Flexible sigmoidoscopy and digital rectal exam  Adults older than age 50  Every 5 years
OR: Colonoscopy and digital rectal exam  Adults older than age 50  Every 10 years
OR: Double-contrast barium enema and digital rectal exam  Adults older than age 50  Every 5 to 10 years
SKIN CANCER
Cancer-related checkup, including skin examination Adults ages 20 to 39 Adults age 40 and older  Every 3 years Every year
OTHER RECOMMENDED SCREENING PROCEDURES
Blood pressure monitoring All adults  At least every 2 years
Blood cholesterol measurement Adults age 20 and older  Every 5 years
Blood glucose test to screen for diabetes Adults age 45 and older  Every 3 years
Hearing and vision screening Adults age 65 and older  Periodically
Glaucoma screening (eye exam with dilated pupils) All adults age 60 and older  Every 2 years
TESTS FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Chlamydia and other STDs, including HIV

At-risk adults, including:

  • Sexually active men and women younger than age 25.
  • Adults who have had multiple sex partners.
  • People who do not consistently use latex condoms.
  • People who have had previous STDs.
  • Pregnant women.
Every year for chlamydia; consult doctor for others
Hepatitis C

At-risk adults, including:

  • Injected-drug users.
  • People who received clotting factors before 1987,or blood before 1992.
  • Dialysis patients.
 Consult doctor
Tuberculosis (TB) skin test

 At-risk adults, including:

  • People exposed to the disease.
  • Injected-drug users.
  • People who come from a place where TB is common, such as Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Russia.
 10 to 12 weeks after last exposure to infectious person
IMMUNIZATIONS
Tetanus and diphtheria  All adults 3 doses for initial immunization, then booster shot every 10 years
Measles and mumps

 At-risk adults, including:

  • People born after 1956 who were not immunized on or after their first birthday.
  • Health care professionals.
  • Travelers to foreign countries.
  • College students.
At least 1 dose, 1 month apart
Rubella

At-risk adults, including:

  • People who were not immunized on or after their first birthday.
  • Certain health care workers.
 1 dose
Pneumonia

At-risk adults, including:

  • People age 65 and older.
  • People with chronic illnesses, such as congestive heart failure, diabetes, chronic liver disease and emphysema.
  Usually 1 dose
Lyme disease People ages 15 to 70 with high exposure to tick-infested areas 3 doses, with the second 1 month after first; third dose 12 monthsafter first
Meningococcal disease

At-risk adults, including:

  • Travelers to certain regions of the globe, such as sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Incoming college freshmen.
  • Military enlistees.
 1 dose
Varicella (chicken pox)

Adults who have never had chicken pox, especially if they also:

  • Live or work with young children.
  • Live or work with people whose immune systems are weakened.
  • Are planning to travel abroad.
  2 doses, at least 4 weeks apart
Influenza (flu)

At-risk adults, including:

  • People age 50 and older.
  • People with lung, heart or kidney disease.
  • People with diabetes, HIV or cancer.
  • Health care workers.
Every year, in the fall or winter

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